Robinson, Knicks win marathon over Hawks

New York, NY (Sports Network) – Nate Robinson’s free throw with 1:10 left in
the second overtime gave New York the lead for good and the Knicks went on to
a 121-117 win against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden.

Robinson scored 16 of his 18 points from the fourth quarter on, as the Knicks
ended a two-game slide. Jamal Crawford scored a team-high 21 points for New
York, which used its reserves to turn a 13-point deficit into an eventual win.

Crawford and Robinson teamed in the New York backcourt for the final 22
minutes, as starters Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis sat on the bench.
Marbury was pulled with 1:01 left in the third and did not return. He ended
with just eight points and Francis had only nine in just his second start with
the Knicks.

Qyntel Woods also had 18 points off the New York bench, as the Knicks’
reserves outscored their counterparts on the Hawks, 77-17. New York’s starters
were led in scoring by Jalen Rose with 17 points. No other starter was in
double figures.

Joe Johnson had 36 points, nine rebounds and six assists to lead the Hawks,
who have dropped three in a row. Al Harrington added 28 points and Zaza
Pachulia had a career-high 26 points for Atlanta, which fell for the fifth
time in six outings.

Atlanta held a 117-115 led after Marvin Williams hit 1-of-2 free throws with
2:36 remaining in the second OT. But the Knicks scored the final six points of
the game to come away with the victory.

Robinson first tied the game with 1:31 left on a jumper. He then put New York
ahead by hitting 1-of-2 free throws with 1:10 left.

Harrington then committed a costly turnover on the Hawks’ next possession and
Crawford extended the lead to two points, when he hit 1-of-2 from the line
with 32 ticks on the clock.

Johnson then missed two jumpers, one with 17 seconds remaining and the next
with just four ticks on the clock.

Jackie Butler hit a pair of free throws with two seconds left to provide the
final margin.

Butler ended with six points for the Knicks, who led 22-15 after one quarter .

Atlanta managed to turn a 44-39 deficit into a 68-56 lead late in the third
quarter. However, the Knicks closed the third by scoring nine of the final 14
points to go into the fourth down just 73-65.

The Knicks’ reserves continued to rally in the fourth, thanks to electricity
brought to the floor by Robinson. The guard scored eight points in the frame
and Crawford scored 11 as the Knicks eventually grabbed the lead and went
ahead by as many as five points

Down 80-72, the Knicks went on a 13-4 run to take the lead. Robinson hit 1-
of-2 free throws with 6:41 left to give New York the one-point edge.

Later, New York extended to a 95-90 lead courtesy of a 6-0 spurt. Woods had
five points during the surge, which was capped by a Crawford free throw at the
2:36 mark.

Atlanta rallied, though, scoring seven of the final nine points in regulation
to force overtime. All seven points came from the free throw line for the
Hawks, who also opened the extra session on a roll.

Atlanta opened up a 103-100 lead after a Harrington bucket at the 3:10 mark,
but the Knicks scored the next six points, only to again falter down the
stretch and allow the Hawks to force another overtime.

Game Notes

The Knicks and Hawks split the four-game season series…The Knicks improved
to 12-19 at home this season..Atlanta fell to 7-24 on the road…New York
improved to 1-1 on its current five-game homestand.